


Reflections

by Siver



Category: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Genre: Gen, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-21 20:30:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17050058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siver/pseuds/Siver
Summary: It's a place he's frequented many times, but this particular company is unexpected.





	Reflections

**Author's Note:**

  * For [axilet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/axilet/gifts).



Cabanela knew this place and this quiet corner of the pub. After all they stopped by regularly after work. This was their corner. The low hum of indistinguishable voices washed around them from equally indistinguishable faces. A familiar place, if not the situation, while the one sitting opposite him was all too familiar.

If it was a mirror that sat across from him, it was distorted. His self was greyer, angles in his face more prominent than what he saw each day in his own mirror, lending him a harder look, despite the easy-going smile he wore.

His other leaned back looking entirely at ease, despite the unusual situation. “Nooow this is a sight. Maybe I am delirious.”

It was the strangest sensation he’d felt, but in an odd way he knew what this was. There was one explanation for the older man in front of him if not the how or why.

“You’re him, aren’t you? Savin’ Jowd? From a time that no longer exists.”

He glanced around them. “So, a new time, is it?” he said quietly and Cabanela had a feeling it wasn’t exactly directed at him. “Not quiiite how I was expectin’ things to go, baby.”

“You don’t know?”

“Last thing I remember was passin’ out in an ambulance.” He picked up his glass, swirled the amber liquid inside, looking thoughtful, and then passed it across to him. “Youuurs, not mine. Not anymore.”

Cabanela took it, but set it aside for now. Then he found himself on the end of a piercing stare he recognized, but never imagined himself on the receiving end of—surveying, studying, seeking answers.

“So you know what happened?”

“We got Jowd to spill the beans.”

“’We…’” A sharper look. “Alma. She’s here. She knows?”

“Would you have it any other waaay?”

“Ha, good! How long ago are we?”

“Niiine years.”

“The park…” His eyes glimmered. “Only a yeeear to crack him. Some things do change.”

Cabanela toyed with his glass. He had no problems with a drink now and then; he came here often enough with Jowd. The present company was rather more unusual. He wondered at his older self. Jowd hadn’t been able to tell him everything, but he had taken a bitter sort of satisfaction in telling him the rumours and hearsay he’d allowed himself to believe. It was enough for Cabanela to make guesses. The utmost secrecy. Stay on top. No risks to be taken. In all things it seemed because there was one factor that never made as much sense to him.

“You never went to see him.” A flat statement containing a clear question.

“I did everything I could to get him out. Everything.”

“You left him in the dark. Jowd couldn’t tell us everything, but the man who went into that park wasn’t the same man who came out.”

“It wasn’t supposed to take so long,” he said quietly. Once again Cabanela found himself scrutinized. “But, it looooks like I used to be even more naïve than I thought.

Alma was shot from inside the house. I didn’t know who was really behind it—it could have been one of our own, someone else who knew Jowd. When we started getting wind of the Manipulator it got more dangerous; no knowin’ who might be affected. We were known to be friends. Not exaaactly spotless to be seen bein’ friendly with a murderer, is it? A clean break. No risks.”

A risk to his record or more, Cabanela wondered. If he’d gone to him early… he knew he must have been angry; he lied. He’d been angry only listening to it before the rest of the tragic tale unfolded. And Jowd would have taken that anger all too easily. And later… He imagined Jowd locked away year after year. What would he have done if he’d gone to him? How much would he have let slip? How much danger could he have put them both in? A sensible plan or only paranoia?

In some ways maybe he was right and maybe not, but to leave him with nothing for all that time? He couldn’t ask himself if he would do it. The answer sat in front of him. And the question was moot now. It would never happen again. He wouldn’t allow it.

“You did what you thought you had to do,” he finally said.

“And it worked,” he replied with a note of triumph. “Here’s the proof riiight in front of me, though how exactly it happened is beyond me.”

“Time travelin’ ghost cat. Nothing like him,” Cabanela said lightly. “Tuuurns out he’d been killed in that junkyard too.”

He stared at him then burst out laughing. “So Mr. Ghost was our furry feline all alooong, was he?”

He looked around before turning his attention back to him, amusement still dancing in his eyes. “You know, I used to still come here nooow and then. Looks like I’m still drinkin’ with myself.”

“Assured of the best company,” Cabanela drawled.

It was a partial cover; he wondered if he guessed it. Who better to know than himself, but they were after all, not quite the same people, were they? The one sitting across from him was older, more experienced, different roads traveled. He imagined coming here alone, across from an empty seat, fighting the long battle and the accompanying loneliness.

There was an odd wistfulness that told him his quip went down about as well as truly expected.

“Not quiiite…”

A smile thrown back his way—another cover—well crafted, near perfect, but yes he could read his own lies.

Cabanela stared into his drink. It seemed pointless to say to him—of course he’d know—it was the one thing he truly wanted. And yet… five years fighting a desperate battle, four of those alone. Left to sink into the darkness of an ambulance with no way of knowing anything more. He could only imagine how that burned. Maybe this once a note of reassurance, no matter how obvious, wouldn’t go entirely amiss.

“I’ll keep lookin’ after them.” He smiled, a real smile. “You won.”

He grinned back as the place wavered like a bubble gone on too long. “So we did. A neeew life, nothing like it baby!”

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt of "character from new timeline meets their alternate counterpart", how irresistible is that? Happy Yuletide!


End file.
